Increasing demands are being placed on enterprise networks as expectations and requirements for connectivity of a wide range of devices such as tablet computers, netbooks, smart phones, multi-function devices and wireless access points continue to grow.
To facilitate ease in network management of network elements, many organizations use a directory service for domain networks. A directory service is a customizable information store that functions as a single point from which users can locate resources and services distributed throughout a network. A directory service domain controller authenticates and authorizes users, computers and other devices in a domain type network, assigning and enforcing security policies and installing or updating software.
However, even with the use of directory services to ease network management, a key obstacle faced by information technology (IT) professionals today is the sheer volume of repetitive work that needs to be done, particularly when large networked deployments are involved. As organizations seek to increase productivity and revenues through technology, they are also striving to minimize the complexity of managing a large IT infrastructure. Repetitive manual configuration is time consuming and inefficient. Complex configuration procedures involving numerous steps are error prone and make systems less secure by introducing countless opportunities for misconfiguration that can negatively impact the efficiency of the organization.